Impeach
Written by Nick Carraway.
Congress really has only one move at this point. If they are waiting around for Mike Pence and the cabinet to do the right thing they are going to be left holding their breath. Articles of impeachment are really the only way to go and there are a few reasons why.
As most know now, Congressional action can bar him from ever holding elected office ever again. So, even if they eventually convict in the Senate after January 20th, the process still has teeth. It will neuter him politically and effectively end his gravy train. There will be no more legal fundraising for possible future campaigns. It also would likely kill any possible political futures for his children.
Secondly, symbolic gestures matter. He already is the third president to be impeached. It says something if he’s the first to be impeached twice. That’s historic on a staggering scale. History matters and when we look back on this period a generation from now, our kids and grandkids will learn about how horrible he was and hopefully we will never have to through it again.
Finally, we need to force the Susan Collins and John Cornyns of the world to pick a side. Trump obviously didn’t learn his lesson. This is a chance for Republicans to stand up for America. We know where Ted Cruz is. We know where Lindsay Graham is. They made their bed. An impeachment vote brings their treachery out into the open. Their final allegiance will be recorded for all of history.”
Nick
~ I vas chust a bystander! ~
Headlines: Several state lawmakers joined, observed U.S. Capitol turmoil
Edit: A West Virginia lawmaker who filmed himself and supporters of President Donald Trump storming into the U.S. Capitol is facing bipartisan calls for his resignation as federal prosecutors step up their pursuit of violent perpetrators.
Edit: Wearing a helmet, Evans joined a screaming mob as it pushed its way into the Capitol building, and livestreamed himself joyfully strolling inside.
https://triblive.com/news/world/several-state-lawmakers-joined-observed-u-s-capitol-turmoil/
1That 50-50 Senate split is looking better, even with the defection of covidiot Joe Manchin (Dumbass-WV). Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is not afraid of re-election; she knows she won once running 3rd party and can do it again.
Weak kneed Leningrad Lindsey went begging to President-elect Biden on behalf of the fu king moron. Apparently Donnie is too apoplectic to speak for himself; without Twitter he’s a virtual mute. Essence of the conversation was a whine to ask Biden to call Speaker Pelosi with a request she not send more articles of impeachment to the Senate. Where’s the trust for Moscow Mitch to bury another trial in the Senate?
Between now and Inauguration Day 1/20/2021 the Senate is only scheduled for two sessions. Both sessions are pro forma meaning that no new business will be addressed without 100 votes for cloture. Moscow Mitch has been very clear about that which effectively means an impeachment trial would bleed into Biden’s first 100 days when his focus will be confirmation of appointments, getting the corona virus fight and vaccinations on track, and putting out the many dumpster fires still blazing left by fu king moron and his maladministration.
The story? Apparently after a night of Donnie crying on his peignoir, Lindsey is concerned that the fucking moron* is culpable for the 5 deaths and more. “My” advice to President-elect Biden would be a trade. ***If*** during his first 100 days Moscow Mitch and the obstructionist caucus stand down, confirm his appointments, actually give the country what’s needed to vaccinate to 90% and slap a bow on Donnie as a present to NY Attorney General Leticia James. If Mitch quivers, delays or blinks one second in those 100 days, the fat boi will have a trial in the Senate, and every other locale that wants him. Personally, I favor Iran; they certainly have standing to try the fu king moron.
2Nick,
I agree. Impeachment as soon as possible.
I only have one reason, we must get the nuclear football away from him immediately & permanently.
Because how long does it take to push a button?
3The mob showed up intent on lynching Mike Pence and Mitch McConnell; Lindsey Graham and Mitt Romney are screamed at in airports. Why would any other Republican turn on trump at this point? They have little to gain and no record of ever putting country first. I don’t expect more than Ben Sasse platitudes and maybe Lisa Murkowski or Adam Kinzinger leaving the party.
As for impeachment, McConnell has already said the “trial” wouldn’t start until January 19. (How long is he majority leader?) The only point would be that if convicted, trump could never again hold federal office. It’s all about 2024.
4It says volumes that Trump is facing impeachment again. It also says volumes that the GOP refused to convict him, turned him loose, emboldened him even more, and here we are. If they refuse to convict him a second time, this says far more about them than it does him. Far more.
5Impeach, impeach, impeach. That’s it, that’s the tweet.
6If he were impeached and convicted by the Senate, he would lose everything associated with the Presidency: no money for a pension, no money to run an office, no travel expenses, no funds for a library, nada. That’s the part that makes this soooo delicious.
7Megasoid @1: WV legislator Evans has resigned, effective immediately. My guess is he’s been told to expect no help from the party in defending against his charges.
8BillR @7 Thanks. That article was from a few days back. The Link for it has videos attached of the events and lawyer’s indignant remarks. Quite a festive lynch mob!
9Others are making their excuses even though they marched with the mob.
BarbinDC, good to hear from you.
10BarbinDC- those are all good reasons to follow through with impeachment even after 1/20. In my mind, the precedent of just letting this go is basically saying it was OK to try and overthrow an election. The precedent MUST be that an insurrection by a president will never be allowed to go unpunished. We would never let an enemy of the US attack our capital and democracy without immediate response, and that’s what happened this week. I guess I should qualify that to say in any administration besides the current one.
11I just had a thought — literally while I was reading this piece: Mitch might be doing us a favor.
I imagine the chance of conviction increases after he’s out of office:
1] the vote won’t include removing him from office so the timid souls won’t have to deal with that.
2] the fact that the vote is thus “merely symbolic” might induce some folks to either vote for it or stay away and make the decision to “not make a decision.” [The vote only has to be 2/3 of the members present and voting — not 2/3 of the entire body.]
And then there’s the fact that he can no longer shoot mean tweets at anyone who crosses him. He’s been defanged.
12Finally. Should’ve happened 5 years ago. Still, better late than never, I suppose. It’s just horrible that it took 5 dead people and hundreds of traumatized lawmakers to make it happen.
So thank you, Twitter. I guess.
BarbinDC @7:
I’ve heard that he’ll also lose his Secret Service protection. Do you know if that’s true?
That would be a loss of prestige — every other ex-president gets the protection. And once again, Obama beats him — without even trying.
13Also not being able to charge them to stay at Mar-A-Lago would burn.
Congress may impeach him – without the GOP members, but I feel certain the Senate GOP will all vote against convicting him. Everyone got scared a little, but other than that, nothing has changed with the GOP.
14My suggested variation … have the House vote for an impeachment resolution ASAP … insuring he will go down as the absolutely #1 President in that important category.
But don’t send the impeachment to the Senate. Wait
… until the Majority Leader changes and thus Democrats control the calendar and the rules for the trial.
… even longer, allowing House investigations of the most recent outrage AND all of the previous topics of investigation to become clearer. The House can get around to asking for documents held by a Department under new Democratic management. The DoJ and White House Counsel can withdraw any defense on the requests already going in the courts.
… until there is a greater clarity of how Twittler spent his last weeks in power. There may be even MORE telephone calls to try to suborn perjury, undercut Honest Duty by federal and state elected officials.
… until there can be questions addressed to all the newly pardoned, as they no longer have any danger of self-incrimination on the crimes pardoned.
Have the Judiciary Committee draw up a full set of charges in early 2022 and pass it as the equivalent of a superseding indictment. Hand it off to the Senate for trial in the late spring or summer. That would interfere with Republican Senators campaigning and put them into a dilemma: support or challenge Trump before the general election.
15twocrows, even if he keeps his SS guards, somehow I don’t think they’ll be so willing to take a bullet for him after this.
It could almostbe a rule: if you depend on police protection, don’t antagonize the cops
16Amen, brother.
17How to get Cruz & Hawley to vote to convict: remind them that it means trump can’t run again. They’ll fight each other to vote yes.
” … we need to force the Susan Collins and John Cornyns of the world to pick a side.”
Collins already picked a side, and decided that Trump “had learned his lesson”. She just got re-elected for six years, and given her record, don’t expect her to change from anything but a strict Republican vote. Don’t expect a skunk to change its white stripe down the back.
18Jim Clyburn (IIRC) said a possible plan would be for the House to impeach him this week but hold off on sending to the Senate until after Biden’s first 100 days so that he can get his Cabinet picks confirmed and emergency legislation passed. Meanwhile (as John #15 suggests – I do like your ideas) the FBI, etc should continue to accumulate information on the plot, who was involved, more people caught & charged, and who on the inside was involved, as ammunition against Trump to help get him impeached. I’ve heard after that it will take another bill to strip him of his secret service detail, money and other usual post-presidential perks.
19The Senaate will make noises about trying him, but find that it can’t be scheduled until after January 21, at which point it will be moot.
Then the 147 who voted to overturn the EC results even as the Capitol was breached and who are running for re-election in 2022 and thereafter will declare how they were in favor of conviction and regret it could not be imposed.
20cgregory @20, There is no “moot” date for impeachment.
21Removal from office is only one of –many– results of an impeachment conviction.
Loss of pension, perks, and most importantly, a ban on holding any future government position, etc., happen to the convicted impeachee.
Which is why it is absolutely necessary to pursue the impeachment of Trump. And do it in the most advantageous manner possible, which might involve ‘slow walking’ it at certain stages.
On point that should be clarified. I don’t think impeachment and conviction automatically prevents someone from running for office. I believe that requires a second vote by the Senate. I suspect that any Republican who votes to convict, would also want to keep Trump out of the 2024 party primaries.
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